Shift
by Uozumi
Summary: The night before the events of season six episode seventeen unfold, Castiel meets with Dean.


**Fandom** _Supernatural_  
><strong>Character(s)Pairing(s)** AU!Dean, Dean, Castiel; Cas/AU!Dean, Cas/Dean  
><strong>Genre<strong> Alternate Universe/Drama/Episode related/Slash  
><strong>Rating<strong> PG  
><strong>Word Count<strong> 683  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong> Supernatural c. Kripke, CW, WB  
><strong>Summary<strong> The night before the events of season six episode seventeen unfold, Castiel meets with Dean.  
><strong>Warning(s)<strong> spoilers up through season six episode seventeen  
><strong>Notes<strong> A golem in Jewish folklore is an animated body of clay and dirt who has no soul. I know this might be one of my weaker fics potentially, but I'm just glad I wrote it because I've been too sick to write fic lately.

_**Shift**_

The sensation that broke Castiel from his thoughts was a kiss to his forehead right where the war, the diversions from the truth, the fifty thousand souls, and all the repercussions all created a rather large crease above Castiel's brow. The lips did not linger but the gesture was not without affection. Castiel's eyes opened and he looked up at the man standing over him.

"Sam and I are going to check in on Bobby tomorrow," Dean said. He grabbed his beer from the tabletop and flopped down in the chair opposite Castiel. Sam was at a local library trying to discover more about Purgatory and the Mother of All called Eve. "You need anything?"

This Dean was not the Dean that Castiel knew from the original timeline and at the same time, he was that Dean as well. Ever since Balthazar reversed the HMS Titanic's fate, Castiel had watched the world change so drastically, especially the lives of his human friends. From Bobby's run in with Ellen on a hunt ten years after her husband's death to Dean and Sam raised by Mary who had to return reluctantly to hunting to protect her children when John died at the hands of Azazel in Sam's nursery, the timeline was similar yet different.

"I do not," Castiel answered. This Dean understood the concept of an angelic civil war. Yet, he still called Castiel at the wrong time or called him to the wrong place. This time, Castiel had come on his own accord. He had promised this Dean that if he could spare a moment, he would appear. "Thank you," Castiel added as an afterthought.

Castiel studied Dean. The man's posture was open, welcoming. He was not tactile like Sam and still had to lecture on about personal space, but every so often Dean's hand found its way to Castiel's shoulder or arm. Sometimes their hands touched and stayed touching in a firm grip. Sometimes Dean just stared at Castiel, posture completely relaxed like Dean was now. The kissing started after Dean finally asked Castiel to Earth months ago after the golem form of Sam reunited with Dean. Dean's kisses were always brief, infrequent, but came at the right moments. They were perplexing.

"I have a clown nose on my face or something?" Dean set the beer down and stared right back at Castiel.

"Or something," Castiel answered.

"You always say that," Dean griped. He stood up and started to walk about the room, finally looking out the window. "I'm not some pod person alien you know."

"I know." Castiel kept watching. It was that posture Dean got in the original timeline when he was about to state that for the last time that he preferred breasts and vaginas. Castiel waited.

"Then stop acting like I am." Dean turned to look at him. "I'm the same idiot you pulled out of hell over two years ago. I'm not some alien." Dean quieted. There was no declaration of heterosexuality. There was no fumbling and grumbling about "chick flick moments." If anything, Castiel had never heard this version of Dean Winchester ever mention those types of moments and his opinion of them ever.

Castiel nodded. He stood up. "I should go." This Dean's sense of normalcy still felt unnatural to Castiel. Even if the odd quirks and events meant Castiel and his armies could command weapons that he could only watch sit and rust in Heaven in the original timeline, this always felt off in some way to the angel. Castiel stretched his wings out and paused.

Dean's fingers were firm around Castiel's wrist. His eyes held Castiel's gaze. "Just…be careful, okay?"

Castiel held the gaze, then he looked away. "I always am." Castiel did not trust his own words, but they sounded good enough for Dean who let go of Castiel's wrist. He could sense Fate closing in, he knew what she was beginning to undo and he had to prepare. With a deep breath, Castiel took to the Heavens and left the Dean Winchester Balthazar altered staring at the spot he once occupied.

**The End**


End file.
